Share this article

The craft landed about 40 minutes later with emergency personnel waiting. No injuries were reported.

A Thomas Cook spokesman told MailOnline: 'It was initially reported as a suspected fire in the cabin, but there was no fire.

'There was a small amount of smoke detected by a member of the crew in the cabin, but it is thought that was something to do with the in-flight entertainment system.'

Holiday hotspot: The majority of passengers would have been package holiday customers set for a range of destinations in Cancun, a renowned tourist destination on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula

She added that the majority of passengers would have been package holiday customers set for a range of destinations in Cancun, a renowned tourist destination on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula.

Others may have been customers of other package holiday providers or independent passengers. The region on Mexico's Caribbean coast is not only well known for its resorts but also its wealth of ancient Maya archaeological sites.

The passengers, who were put up for the night in local hotels, are expected to return to Manchester this afternoon on the same aircraft pending the successful completion of safety checks..

Thomas Cook's spokesman added: 'We would like to thank our passengers for their patience and we promise to get them back on their way home as quickly as possible.'